Nuclear Saturday

In the event of a nuclear attack in the Cold War, all us Edinburgh locals would have scampered off to the nuclear bunker in Barnton Quarry (not far from my flat in Corstorphine), not that we knew about it, as it was supposedly a secret.

Anyway, over the years it became abandoned and vandalised, and it is only now that it is being restored by a brilliant band of volunteers. Today, was one of the first opportunities for us locals to see it, as part of the Edinburgh Doors Open day, and they did us proud.

Here’s a bit more history about the bunker:

This nuclear bunker under the Corstorphine Hill, embedded in the Barnton Quarry, was built in 1952 as a Cold War shelter for the British government and the Queen, if she happened to be at her Edinburgh residence, and even for the BBC complete with a broadcast room.

But the Soviet nuclear attack on Scotland never came, and the bunker was never used. It was a secret until 1963 when a group called Spies for Peace exposed it to the public. It was purchased in 2005 by a private owner who intends to turn it into a museum, although the bunker has long been explored by intrepid spelunkers. (Warning: due to two fires, it is full of asbestos.)

Such an interesting place to visit and well done to all the volunteers, and we wait to see it again in the future, when even more restoration will have taken place.

Have a good Saturday all.